CEPA

Certified Exit Planning Advisor

Your relationship to your business has a lifecycle. By starting, buying, or owning your business you have set yourself on a path. This path is leading you and your business toward an eventual exit. There will come a time when your most valuable asset will change hands. You will cease to be the owner. Whether that transition is successful is up to you. Don’t let death, disability, divorce, distress, or disagreement dictate when and how you exit from your business.

Three to five years before you think you would like to exit you should choose a team of advisors who can and will help you make this change in your life as smooth and as rewarding as possible. Keep in mind, that no single professional advisor has all of the expertise needed to design a comprehensive, integrated exit plan. The best exit plans incorporate input from a team of advisors that should include a Certified Exit Planning Advisor as a quarterback. Members of the team may include:

A business Attorney with M&A experience

A Financial advisor or wealth management professional who does planning work,

A tax specialist who is versed in the latest tax issues, and

An investment banking firm that specializes in exit planning

Sticking to your exit plan is just as important as having one, and advisors can help you do just that. Meet with them on a regular basis to ensure that crucial steps are being completed on schedule. Nobody likes to pay unnecessary fees, but the cost of developing a good exit plan is usually tiny compared to the additional value received at the time of sale. After all, exiting your business is probably going to be the most important deal of your lifetime. Be prepared.

Your exit plan should be focused on two main objectives:

Maximizing your company’s value prior to your exit, and

Ensuring that you accomplish all of your business and personal objectives as part of the exit

Sophisticated investors like venture capital firms and private equity groups never invest in a company without having a clearly defined exit plan in place first. They know that having an exit plan in place helps to ensure they will capture the return on investment they are seeking. When it comes to selling your largest and most valuable asset, should you have a plan too?

Michael M. Tulman CPA, CGMA, CVA, MAFF, CEPA has earned the Exit Planning Institute Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA) designation after completing the Institute's intensive CEPA program. He has joined an exclusive group of fewer than 600 business advisors worldwide who have earned this designation.

About the CEPA Program

The CEPA program was specifically designed for business advisors who work closely with owners of privately held companies. The executive MBA style format program held at the University of Chicago is designed around a central case study and uses a combination of lectures, group discussions, case studies and individual exercises to introduce participants to concepts and to reinforce skills.

About The Exit Planning Institute

The Exit Planning Institute is the premier provider of learning, knowledge, and future-oriented research for exit planning professionals. The Institute delivers innovative learning experiences, performance-enhancing resources, and strategic tools designed to advance the exit planning profession.

The Institute is made up of business brokers, accountants, attorneys, financial advisors, investment bankers, valuation advisors, commercial lenders, insurance advisors, and management consultants in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Germany, Hong Kong, and Australia. The common thread that unites these different professionals is their commitment to helping clients exit their companies successfully. More information about the Institute can be found at www.exit-planning-institute.org.

About how we can help you take the next step.

It all starts with a simple phone call or email. We can explain the process and help you get started on your plan. Call today. 508-428-5600.